A Russian journalist who was reported ‘murdered’ — startled reporters by walking into a news conference alive.

Arkady Babchenko was believed to have been gunned down in Ukraine by pro-Russian forces.

Now the Kremlin critic said his death was staged as part of an investigation into threats against him. CGTN’s Dan Asby has more.

Some 24 hours earlier, police said Babchenko had been gunned down at his apartment in Ukraine, because of his journalism, which often criticized the Kremlin and President Putin.

Even the prime minister of Ukraine spoke out about it.

But now the intelligence service said he was actually involved in a sting to help catch the men targeting him, saying he had to fake his death, before Russia’s intelligence service carried out a contracted killing on him.

In Moscow, there is disbelief at this turn of events.

The Kremlin said it is the best of news that he’s alive, but the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has had a propaganda effect of discrediting Russia by accusing it of a killing which never took place.

As for Babchenko, who apologized to his family and friends, he will now be able to read his own obituaries.